Analysis of kinematics and dynamics of modular robot assemblies

Abstract

The development of self-reconfigurable modular robots has experienced significant progress. Continuous improvement during the past twenty years produced flexible and easy maintainable robot mechanisms. Self reconfiguring modular robots consist of various similar robotic modules and are designed to establish manifold connections between each of these link modules. Moreover these modules are able to perform movements to change the shape or the position of the robotic chain. In this thesis the main focus lies on the analysis of kinematics and dynamics of small modular robot organisms and their movement pattern. Although diverse linkage mechanisms do exist, practically no motion of one module can be accomplished without interacting with a second one. Therefore furthermore fundamental is the study and examination of dyad kinematics which represent the pattern of movement between solely two modules. However generation and simulation of models of modular robot kinematics and dynamics are complex and manual derivation needs tremendous efforts as every configuration and alternation of shape induce new changes of parameters´ values. Besides machinedriven computation requires a great deal of energy and increased storage capacity if every module constellation and applicable movements are predefined in a database. To avoid this squandering of resources a framework is implemented in Matlab based on Chen´s theory to design an accurate dynamic model. In the end, this thesis shall provide a farther step towards a robust and flexible modular robot organism which is able to perform reliable interaction with the environment to constitute to an optimized and effective realization of tasks assigned to it in industry or in the future private households.